Barry Snowdon (born 10 February 1968) is a British street sweeper employed by Mansfield District Council working in Market Warsop, Nottinghamshire, England. In 2007 and 2008, he performed two acts of heroism that resulted in national recognition, culminating in a Local Government Council Worker of the Year Award in 2008 and a Reach Out Award for Bravery in 2009.[1]
Barry Snowdon was shortlisted in the Bravery category of the Local Government Council Worker of the Year Awards after carrying out two acts of outstanding bravery while out on his rounds.[2][3]
In March 2007, Snowdon chased and caught a thief in Warsop (Notts), after local chiropodist Maxine Kimberley had her handbag stolen. He chased after the thief, holding him down until the police arrived and returning the handbag to its grateful owner in the process.[4][5][6]
In summer 2008, when carrying out his normal rounds, Barry saw a private highways truck containing high-pressure gas bottles and other highly flammable items on fire only yards away from the BP petrol station on Sherwood Street in Warsop. Snowdon ran to the rescue, grabbing a fire extinguisher from the garage forecourt, and successfully fought the flames single-handedly, sustaining burns to his arms in the process.[4][5][6]
At the time he said "I could see the lorry was in danger of exploding and just did what anyone would have done – my instincts were to get the fire out as quickly as possible."[7][8]
• 2020, Held a celebration party to mark 75 years of VE Day. Many people came and had an overall great day